We have been honored to call these men our Brothers. The condolences of Theta Chi’s extended worldwide family are offered to the family and friends of our deceased brothers.

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of:

Lloyd E. Dietrich ‘52 - Sept. 12, 2021
Barry A. Herr ‘60 - Sept. 12, 2021

Lloyd E. Dietrich of Kilmarnock died on September 19, 2021. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Mary Lou, daughters, Robin E. Dietrich, Tracy A. Hayden and Heidi E. Wallick, grandchildren Alexis Barnikel (Tyler), Colton Hayden and Blaze Wallick, great grandchild Elias Lloyd Barnikel, and Sister Ruth E. Santucci. He was predeceased by his parents Nevin Emannuel and Annie Eckert Dietrich, brothers Ivan Nevin and Ray Alvin and sister Agnes Breidegam.

Lloyd was born on July 17, 1930 in Fleetwood, Pa. He was left motherless at the young age of 3, and his father subsequently enrolled him in the Milton Hershey School where he remained in attendance until his high school graduation. There he lived in a group home and was assigned to typical farm work milking cows and pitching hay simultaneous with participation as a first line football and basketball player, soloist with the glee club, flutist with the band, and competitive chess player. He was an honor roll student enrolled in the precollege academic class.

Upon graduation Lloyd qualified for the Naval Reserve Officer Training program which provided financial support for his attendance at Pennsylvania State University. There he majored in Labor Relations, joined the Theta Chi fraternity and spent his summer fulfilling his naval requirements. Upon graduation he served in the Navy Reserve as a communications and electronics officer, and later, as an operations officer in the Korean War serving on the USS Casa Grande. His tenure took him to Italy on a rescue mission, to Cuba for public relations and to the Arctic to resupply American outposts. Though encouraged to make the Navy his lifelong career he elected a career in law.

Lloyd attended George Washington Law School while working full time as a legal clerk at the U.S. District courts. He passed the Virginia Bar prior to graduation, was admitted to the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals and to the U.S. Supreme Court, and became a Trial Attorney at the Federal Power Commission. Assigned nationally crucial cases he worked many hours on behalf of the consumer. Although sought by both private and public firms he remained a civil servant. Eventually he moved to the Postal Rate Commission and there achieved its highest legal position of General Counsel from which position he retired.

Lloyd was an engaged husband and father. He was well read and seemed to remember everything. All who knew him felt he was the smartest man they knew. He taught his daughters self-reliance and ability to tackle any tasks from home maintenance to auto repair. He emphasized the importance of their minds and education in all things. Sundays were hike days to savor the out of doors. Family outings included white water canoeing, kayaking, sailing and camping with excursions to Rehoboth Beach and State Parks. Family meals were always at the dinner table and holidays were celebrated with extended family.

Lloyd and Lou enjoyed their years in Washington, surrounded by neighbors and friends of similar concerns, attended the Kennedy center and Arena Stage, and participated in all the numerous local fairs and activities. It was a rich environment for both adults and children. Eventually the family spent summers and holidays at their second house in Kilmarnock, Va. Located on a tributary to the Chesapeake Bay, it provided endless days for water fun, as our family was welcomed by hospitable neighbors both young and old. It eventuated into a comfortable retirement.

In retirement Lloyd became a Master Gardener while pursuing a deep interest in the stock market. He and his wife enjoyed Elderhostels, as well as trips visiting Ireland, Great Britain, France and Italy. Most particularly were the trips to Hershey, Pennsylvania to attend the annual alumni get together as Lloyd highly valued his years spent at Hershey. He will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery.

Barry Alden Herr died peacefully on Sunday, September 12, 2021 in Reno, Nevada at the age of 83, with family by his side. Barry was born on June 24, 1938 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the son of Helen Campbell Herr and Harvey Alden Herr and the younger brother of Carole J. Luttenberger. Barry grew up in Lancaster, playing outdoor games, reading comic books, biking, going to the movies, eating ice cream and hanging out with his many friends on Esbenshade Road. Barry had a paper route and learned economics at an early age--once he had a large enough route to pay a friend to help him. He loved cars and worked at the Acme grocery to pay for his first car at age 16. As a young man, he owned many cars and loved his sports cars, his cruisers and a green Mustang known to all as The Green Machine. A Manheim Township High School graduate, Barry went on to Penn State, joined Theta Chi and graduated as an engineer in 1960.

Engineering took Barry to Connecticut and jobs at Hamilton Standard (airplane propellers) and Chandler Evans. He married Diane Patrice Reidy Guest in 1962, and they had four children: Anne Dillon Herr (Karl Jentoft), Barry Russell Herr, Matthew Campbell Herr (Tara Riley), and Allison Reidy Herr (Oliver Kathawala). Barry received his MBA and left engineering to go into housing construction in Connecticut, where he lived for 15 years.

Barry then joined a high school classmate in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to found and build Lawn Equipment and Parts Company (LEPCO), a major distribution company. Barry later acquired and restored old homes and buildings including a schoolhouse and a 1734 stone farmhouse in Manheim, Pennsylvania. He painstakingly restored the historic farmhouse and converted it into the Herr Farmhouse Inn, a B&B that he managed alongside then wife, Ruth. A natural born innkeeper, Barry spent many happy years chatting with guests from all over the world over coffee and muffins.

In 2001, Barry met his present wife, Sandra O. Wilson, on a sailboat trip in the Caribbean. They married in 2004 and made their home in Reno, NV. Barry became a resourceful step-father, engineer, repair advisor, construction consultant, project planner and all-around good guy to Ann W. Nelson (R.M. "Jim"), Ina M. Wilson, Thomas R. C. Wilson (Cheryl) and John W. Wilson (Michelle Elliott). Barry and Sandra enjoyed years of great travel, exploring home and the world and making many new friends. They and their blended family of 8 children and 12 grandchildren, together and apart, spent summers at Lake Almanor, CA, Thanksgivings at Nantucket, MA, and enjoyed many trips with family and friends.

Barry was grandfather to Kate, Eric, and Helen Jentoft-Herr; Russell and Henry Kathawala; Campbell and Ellison Herr; Jennifer, Morgan, and Kaitlyn Nelson; and Samuel and James Wilson and he paid special attention to and loved every one of them. Barry was advisor on all things related to board games, repairs, construction materials, building issues, machines, mechanical devices, education choices and other esoteric stuff with his kids and grandkids. With his wife, Sandra, he loved, laughed, advised, and shared everything. He even shopped and cooked – especially his B&B breakfast dish, Connecticut turkey stuffing, Pennsylvania chili and Eastern spaghetti pie! Together, he and Sandra created a wonderful life and they enjoyed all the ordinary, crazy and special moments they had.

Barry was an enthusiastic host, cribbage player, coupon saver, exploration partner and ghost town hunter with his many friends and family members. He took an avid interest in rebuilding MG's, doing jigsaw puzzles, playing board games, exploring historical sites, winter skiing, and summer sailing on the Chesapeake Bay. He collected model trains and planes, old clocks, and enough other stuff to fill four Pennsylvania barns and then his Reno workshop. He loved to travel, read, trade books, build and repair stuff, entertain, discuss anything and talk to people.

Barry's parents and older sister predeceased him. He is survived by his wife, Sandra, all of his children, step-children, their spouses and his grandchildren on both coasts, his uncle, Justice Dale Campbell, and many nieces, nephews and cousins, and he loved being with them all. He will be greatly missed.

A celebration of his life will be held in Reno, Nevada on Sunday, October 10, 2021 from 1 – 3 pm at The Club at Arrowcreek, 2905 Arrowcreek Pkwy, Reno, NV 89511. If unable to travel or are unvaccinated, and you wish to attend via a computer link, please send an email of interest to InMemoryofBarryHerr@gmail.com and you will be provided with the link. A spring celebration of Barry's life will be held in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in June, 2022.

Chapter Eternal - Lloyd Dietrich ‘52 and Barry Herr '60